Hay harvesting apparatus



May 27, 1952 H. L. wHrrLEY 2,597,962

HAY HARvEsTING APPARATUS Filed nec. 14, 194e a sheets-sheet 1 s HARVEY L. WH/TLEY INVENTOR A rro RNE Y NLA.

May 27, 1952 H. wHlTLEY 2,597,962

HAY HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed Deo. 14, 194e s sheets-sheet 2 7N V EN TOR,

TTORNEY May 27 1952 H. wHlTLr-:Y 2,597,962

HAY HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed Dem 14, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 mf v^ O 8 INVENToR, HARVEY L. wH/T/ E ATTORNEY 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec 14. 1946 INVENTOR,

HARVEY L. wH/TLEY H T TORNE Y May 27, 1952 Filed Dec. 14. 1946 H. L. WHITLEY HAY HARVESTING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 WEA/T012, HARVEY L. WH/TLEY ATTORNEY May 27, 1952 H. wHlTLEY 2,597,952

HAY HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1946 8' Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR, ,wm/EY L. WHW-LEY BY 6MM A TTORNEY May 27, 1952 H. L. wHlTLEY 2,597,962

HAY HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 194e a sheets-sheet 7 MH n n mm l m lull mw A mK.. L W.. .,a V|| Q F J@ W b Hw vom iHHUllill Ill May 27, 1952 H. L. wHrrLEY 2,597,962

HAY HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed Deo. 14, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 A INVENTOR, HARVEY L. wH/TLEY BY v /TTORNEY soz Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAY HARVESTIN G APPARATUSl Harvey L. Whitley, Fremont, N.- C. Applicaticn December 14, 1946, Serial No. 716,400

8y Claims. 1

This invention relates to a machine `for cutting hay and other vegetation, and forming it immediately into bales of such a nature that the bales can be stacked in storage and will' dry while in storage. The hay is packed into a roll which has a hollow portion extending longitudinally therethrough so that air can pass through the'v center of the bales as well as between the bales as the bales are circular in cross section, thus leaving spaces between the bales when they are piled one upon the other.

It is an object of this invention to provide a wheeled self-propelled vehicle having a cutter bar for cutting hay and otherv vegetation and having. an endless conveyor for elevating the cut vegeta.- tion, and having means for rolling the cut vegetation into circular hollow bales and whereby, when a bale is completed, it can be moved to another position and properly secured against unwinding while another bale is being formed as the apparatus travels continuously over the field on which the vegetation is being cut.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for cutting hay and elevating it to a bale-forming apparatus and forming the bale into tubular form with means for raising' the cutter bar when desired and transporting the apparatus from place toplace, together with means. for' disconnecting the cutter bar from the driving means` therefor as desired,` and having individual brakes for each wheel for directing the same or for turning it in close quarters.

It is another' object of this invention to'l provide a wheeled framework having a prime mover mounted thereon for propelling the framework ovei a lield and said framework havingv projecting from the forward end thereof a cutter bar mechanism for cutting grass and other vegetation, together with a conveyor for conveying the cut vegetation upwardly into the machine, and said machine having apparatus for winding the cut vegetation into a spiral roll having a cavity extending longitudinally thereof and said bale of hay being formed on a reel member so that the reel can be moved to cause: -a new bale of hay to be for-med while the already formed bale is being secured against unwiuding. and removed from the reel.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with.. the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the left-hand side of the machine; Y

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the machine with parts broken away andl looking downwardv in Figure 1, and taken along; the line 2 2 in Figure 1 and omitting the platform boards, thereel mechanism and the bale forming mechanism;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the right-hand side of the machine;`

Figure 4 is an enlarged isometric detail view of the; means on the reel for securing each end of thel trunnions on which. the bale or bales of hay are formed;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the machine looking downward in Figure 3';

Figure 6 is a detail of the cutter bar driving means y Figure 7 is. ay vertical sectional view taken along the line T-'I in. Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a sectional view takenalong the line 8-8y inFigure 3 Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in 3 FigureV I0 is a sectional view takenalong the line lill-l0 inFigure 8;

Figure 11 is an isometric detail view of one end of the center portion of the reel mechanism;

Figure l2V is an elevation of one end of the balel forming mechanism;

Figure 13 isv a vertical sectional view taken along the line I3--l3 in Figure l2;

Figure 14 is an isometric detail view of the reel latehi-ng means shown in the lower righthandf portion of Figure 7 Figure 15 is a sectional view taken along the line l5-i'5 in Figure 2;

Figure 16 isA asectional view taken along the line H-I-S in Figures 2 and 15V;

Figure 17 is*v ari-elevation showing. a number of completed bales of hay in stacked position;

` Figure 18 is a detail of the means-for securing theclutchpedal operating means in adjusted position;

Figurel 19 is a-n elevation of the clutch mechanism shown in section in Figure 1,61.

Referring more specically to the drawing, numeral. tu indicates one-,of the angle members of the' frame of the machine, andthe numeral Hl indicates the other angle member, The front end of these members are secured by any suitable means, such as a U- bolt l2 to an axle housing lf3', having mounted therein-conventional axles I4, onV which. suitable pneumatic tired wheels |5- and I are disposed, said axlesprojecting from a suitable differential housing Il.

The rear end; of these bars I0 and IlA` project upwardly and have secured thereto, a cross anglebar 20. The front end ofthe frame members and have secured thereto, as by welding, vertically disposed angle bars 22 and 23. A cross front angle 33 is welded between the front ends of the frame members 30 and 3|, and to the front surface of this cross angle 33 the vertical angles 22 and 23 are welded. The vertical angle 23, after passing the cross angle 33, extends downwardly and extends to the front end of bar l0. There is a short angle 34 welded tothe front surface of cross angle bar 33, and having its lower end welded to the front end of angle frame bar A brace angle bar 24 is welded to upright bar 23 and to horizontal brace bar ||0. Brace bar 25 is welded to vertical bar 22 and to frame bar 30. An angle bar 36 is welded between the angle frame bars l0 and 3|, respectively, and an angle bar 31 is welded between the frame bars and 3|, respectively. A cross bar 40 is mounted between the bars l0 and for supporting a suitable heat exchange device, such as an automotive radiator 4|. Also,

suitable cross bars 42 and 43 are secured between the bars |0 and for supporting an internal combustion motor 44. y

Secured on the rear angle 20 is a bracket 45 having a castor fork 46 rotatably mounted therein, in which is mounted a pneumatic tired wheel 41 thereon. The fork 45 has an arm l48 extending forwardly therefrom. The wheel 41 is a steering wheel, and the steering mechanism associated with arm 48 will be later described.

A cutter and elevator frame comprises a pair of angle bars 55 and 55, supported by brace bars 51, 58, 53 and 60, all joined together at their ends by welding, as at 6|. To the angle bars 55 and 55 are welded the plates 52 and 63, which, at their rear ends, are pivoted to suitable angle brackets 54 and 55, secured on top of the cross angle bar 33. Secured between the forward ends of plates 62 and 63 is a cutter bar 06 which has oscillatably mounted therein a knife bar 58, having a plurality of knives 60 thereon which have'movement in conventional guards 10 secured to the lower surface of the cycle bar 60 in a conventional manner. Y This knife bar 08 has a conventional projection 12 provided with a ball on its upper end, surrounded by one end of a conventional connecting link 13, which connecting link 13 has a socket on its other end surrounding a ball on the lower end of a crank 14` mounted en an oscillating shaft 15. Shaft 15. at its rear` end, is connected to a universal joint 16, which joint is also connected to a shaft 11, which is loosely mounted in a sleeve 18, supported by bearings 80 and 8|, secured tov and extending from the lower frame bar i0. The rear end ofshaft 11 is hexagonal in cross section, -as shown at 82, in Figure 16. Secured, as by welding, on the sleeve 10 is a hub member 84, having an arm 85 integral therewith, as shown in Figures l and 16. This arm 85 has pivotally connected thereto a link 86 which is secured to a band81, surrounding an eccentric cam 88, on a drive shaft 90, which is connected to the differential housing |1 at its front end and to a universal joint 9| at its rear end which, in turn, is connected to a conventional transmission mechanism 92 which in turn is connected to the internal combustion motor 44. Therefore, as the drive shaft 90 rotates, it will impart oscillatory movement to the member 84 and sleeve 18.

At the rear end of sleeve 18 there is welded onehalf of a clutchy member 36. There is a member |00 slidably mounted on the hexagonal 4 portion 82. Each of the members 96 and |00 have male portions 95 and female cavities 81 so that when members 95 and |00 are moved to engaging position they will cause oscillation to be imparted from hub 96 to portion |00, which in turn will cause oscillation of the shaft 11 which imparts reciprocatory motion to the knife bar 58. (See Figure 19.)

The male clutch portion has arestricted portion |02 provided with a peripheral groove |03, into which projections |04 on the two forks |05 and |06 of a forked lever |01 are adapted to loosely fit. The arm |01 is fixed on a rod |08 slidably mounted in the rear angle bar 33 and in cross angles ||0 and which join the frame members 30 and 3| to each other. The rod |03, where it passes through the angle 33, has a plurality of notches ||2 in its lower surface (see Figure 18) so that the driver may seize the knob ||3 on the front end of the rod |08, and move the clutch portion |00 into engaging or non-engaging position with clutch member and then lower the front end of the shaft |08, which will cause the clutch to remain in clutched or non-clutched position.

The transmission 92 has extending upwardly therefrom a gear shift lever ||5 which has connected thereto to its upper end by means of a universal connection I|5 a pair of arms ||1 and ||8 which are pivotally connected to a pair of upwardly projecting arms |20 and |2|, whose upper ends are welded to slidable and oscillatable rod |23 which is slidably and oscillatably mounted in the angle bars ||0 and 33. Immediately in front of the angle bar 33, the shaft |23 rises upwardly and has a knob |25 thereon, whereby the driver sitting in a seat |26 can seize the knob |25 and can slide the shaft |23 forwardly or rearwardly and can oscillate the shaft in either direction so that the gear shift lever can be moved to any desired gear` position.

For manipulating the clutch of the transmission, a clutch pedal |30 is secured on a shaft |3| which has a downwardly projecting arm |34 which is connected to the front end of the link |35 whose rear end is connected to an arm |36 disposed on a sleeve |31 which is oscllatably mounted on a shaft |38, which is rotatably mounted in angles 23 and 34. Secured 'on sleeve |31 is a downwardly projecting arm |45, to which is pivotally secured the forward end of a link |45, whose rear end is pivotally secured to a clutch lever |41 of the transmission, and it is thus seen that the clutch lever |41 can be operated from the clutch pedal |30.

It is desirable to have individual brakes for the two Wheels I5 and I6, in order that the apparatus can be turned on a short radius by applying brakes to one wheel at a time or, if desired, in going down an incline, brakes could be applied simultaneously by the two feet of the driver-to bothA wheels at the same time. On shaft |3| there is oscillatably mounted a brake pedal |50, having an arm |5| extending downwardly therefrom, to which is connected a link |52, whose rearward end is connected to an arm |53 extending downwardly from the shaft |38, and to the lower end of arm |53 is pivotally connected a link |54 which extends rearwardly and is connected to a lever |55, mounted on a conventional cam shaft which extends into the brake housing, and has a conventional cam thereon for spreading the brake shoes associated with wheel I5.

For controlling the brake to the wheel I5,

there is oscillatably mounted on the shaft I3! a brake pedal |60, which has a downwardly extending portion |62, to which is pivotally connected a link |63, which extends rearwardly and is connected to an arm |64 fixed on the shaft |33, and at the other end of the shaft |38 there is fixed an arm |65 which projects downwardly. and isv vconnected to a link |66, similar to link |54. Link. |66 is connected to a lever |68 mounted on the cam shaft which extends into the interior of the brake housing associated with wheel I5.

For steering the vehicle, the rear steering wheel 41 has already been described. It has also been described as tohow this castor fork 46, in which wheel 41 is mounted, has an arm l48 extending forwardly therefrom. To this arm 43 is pivotally connected a link |10 which is connected to a downwardly projecting arm fixed on a shaft |12 which projects forwardly on the machine, being mounted for oscillation in the angle bars 20, and 33, respectively. This steeringv shaft |12, after passing through the angle bar 33, passes into a pipe |15 which is welded to the front face of angle bar 33 and on the front end of pipe |15 is welded a gear housing |16, having a suitable worm and gear mechanism therein connecting the shaft |12 to the steering rod |11, on which. is disposed a steering wheelv |18. This housing |16 is supported by a suitable oor board |80, extending down and being secured to angle bars |32 and |33.

In order to elevate the cut vegetation after it is cutby the knives 69, I have provided between the, forward ends of the plates 02 and 63 an idler roller |85 which is rotatably mounted in the Side f plates 62 and 63 and having grooves |86 and i2? near opposite ends thereof in which V-beits |33 and |89 are disposed. These V-belts have secured thereon an endless conveyor belt 259. Securedv between the front end of angle bars 55 and 56 is a protecting plate |92. The V-belts |88 and |89 are also mounted in grooves |90, disposed near opposite ends of a roller |9i, only one end of which is shown in Figure 13, but the other end is identical. The roller |9| is an idler roller and the beltsat their rear ends are mounted in a roller |93 having similar grooves in each end thereof.. The side plates 62 and 63 extend rearwardly past the Vertical posts 22 and 23 and the roller |93 is rotatably mounted in the rear ends of these plates 62 and 63. The roller |33 has a shaft. |95 projecting from one end thereof through plate 62 and has a V-pulley |06- secured thereon, on which is mounted a V-belt 91 which is disposed on a V-pulley |98, secured on the exterior of wheel |5. An idler pulley |99 keeps belt |971z taut at all times since it is urged against the belt|91 by means of a tension spring |94.

On the end of the roller |93, remote from the pulley |96, is a shaft 200, which projects through thev rear portion. of plate 63, havingxed thereon a pinion 20|, and pivotally mounted at each end of the roller |93 on shafts |95 and 200, are members 203, which have pivotally connected thereto members 204 by means of a pivot 205, the members 203 and 204 having ears projecting therefrom penetrated by the pivot 205. The member 204 has pivotally connected thereto a member 206, members 204 and 206 having ears projecting therefrom, penetrated by a pivot pin 201; Member 206 is connected to members 208 by means of ears projecting' therefrom penetrated byY a common pivot pin 209. The pivot pin- 205V has rotatably mounted thereon a pinion 2|1Vv which not only meshes with pinion 20| but also with pinion 2|2 xed on a shaft 2|3 projecting from each end of a roller 2|4 rotatably mounted inthe member 204. The pinion 2|?. meshes with a pinion 2 I5, rotatably mounted on pivot pin 201 and the pinion 2|5 meshes with a pinion 2|1 disposed on the shaft 2|8 projecting from one end of a roller 2|9. The pinion 2|1 meshes with a pinion 22|, mounted on a pivot pin 209, and pinion 22| also meshes with a pinion 223 xed on a shaft 224, projecting from a roller 225. Pinion 223 meshes with an idler pinion 226, mounted on a pin 221 in member 203, and this pinion 226 meshes with a pinion 230, fixed on a shaft 23| projecting from one end of a roller 232. It is evident that both ends of all of said rollers and the members 203, 204, 206 and 208 are identical, and the pivots 205, 201 and 209 are identical at each side of the apparatus, and like reference characters will apply, but of course there would be no pinions except on one end of the apparatus, such as just has been described. The members 203 are urged in a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 12 by means of tension springs 235 secured to the lower ends of the members 203 and `to spring perches 236.

The members 204 and 208 have spring perches 240 and 24| thereon, to which the two ends of compression springs 24| are secured to cause the members 295 and 200 to pivot in a counterclockwise manner. The members 203 have projections 235 which cause them, when urged in a counter-clockwise direction by springs 235, to urge the members 234 also in a counter-clockwise direction.

The front end of members 208 have secured thereto, and extending between the same, an angle bar 242 which has secured thereto a plurality of forwardly and downwardly projecting tines 243 for assisting in guiding the cut vegetation into rolling or baling position. This baling is done by a roller 245 around which the cut vegetation is wound in spiral to form a bale 246. The vegetation is fed thereto by the endless conveyor 259 as this roller245 rides on the top of the top leaf thereof, the conveyor being secured to the exterior surfaces of the V-belts |33 and |89.

The roller 2:95 has projecting from each end thereof a stub shaft 25| for supporting the roller 255. I provide bearings 255 and 256 on` the upper ends of the angle bars 22 and 23, in which stub shafts 251 and 253 have rotative movement. These stub shafts'have their other ends welded to four-way couplings or cross members 260 and 26|, and four pipes 262, 263, 265 and 265 extend from cross member 269, while four pipes 266, 251, 268 and 269 extend from cross member 26|. An axially disposed pipe 210 connects the couplings 260 and 26|.

Slidably mounted on eachA of these pipe members is a sleeve 21|, to which is welded a bearing block member 212 having a semi-circular cavity 213 thereon. The block member 212 has anupwardly projecting portion 215 penetrated by a pivot bolt 216 which penetrates the forked end of an upper bearing block 211 which also has a semi-circular bearing portion 213A therein mating with bearingportion 213. I provide a link 280, pivoted as at 28|, on eac'h side of vthe block 212, and its upper end is adapted to engage in a depression 232 to lock the bearing block 211 in the position shown in Figure 4.

Each of the four pipes on one side-of the reel apparatus where these bearing blocks 212 are disposed have mounted on the pivot pin- 216 a of hay.

7 dog 285 biased by a spring 286 to engage a ratchet wheel 281 fixed on one of the stub shafts 251 extending from one end of the rollers 245. These dogs 285 engage the ratchet wheels 281 to prevent rotative movement of the rollers 245 and the vegetation thereon when they are in position ready to have securing means passed therearound to prevent unwinding of the hay or the vegetation thereon.

The bearing blocks 212 disposed on the pipes, such as 262 to 265, inclusive, which extend in opposite directions from each other or in alinement with each other have secured thereto connecting means, such as rods 200 and 291 so as to enable them to slide downwardly in pairs on both sides of the machine to cause the lowermost roller 245 to engage the conveyor belt 250. When a proper amount of vegetation has been wound onto a roller 245, to make the proper sized bale, the operator seizes the portion 208 or angle bar 242 and pivots all of the portions 208, 206, 204 and 203 in a clockwise manner in Figure 12 to where they will be projected rearwardly and be disposed a slight distance above a platform 293 secured on top of the angle bar framework shown uncovered in Figure 2, and the platform being Shown in position over the angle bar framework in Figure 5. At this point, with the mechanism shown in Figure 12 projected forwardly, the bale of hay, along with its associated roller 245, will be raised upwardly and rearwardly to the position shown in Figure 3, at which time the bearing blocks 211 can be pvoted from off of bearing blocks 212, and

the bale, together with the roller 255, can be removed. When the roller 245 is removed from the bale and placed back in position in the bearing blocks 212 and 211, they will be locked in position and then the bearing blocks on the horizontally disposed pipes will be projected forwardly to Where the forward bearing blocks disposed on two horizontal pipes will be ready to move down into engagement with the conveyor belt 250 for the forming of another bale The outer ends of each of these pipes on one side of the reel have projecting portions 300, and when a roller 245 is moved to the lowermost position onto the top of the conveyor 250, these projecting portions 300, having outwardly sloping surfaces, will ride over the sloping surface 301 of a lever 302 and fall into a notch 303 in the lever, which will hold the reel in position while the next bale of hay is being formed. This lever 302 is pivoted as at 304 in upright angle bar 23, and is normally biased to cause its end having the slot 303 therein to move upwardly at all times by means of a tension spring 305.

By referring to Figures 3 and 8, it is seen that the plates 62 and 63 have slots 310 and 311 therein, in which is mounted for sliding movement bearing blocks 312 and 313. In these bearing blocks 312 and 313 is rotatably mounted an idler roller 314. The lower leaf of the conveyor 250 rests on this idler roller 314, andthe idler roller is urged upwardly by tension springs 316 and 311, secured to spring 'perches 3l8 and 319 at their upper ends and to spring perches 320 and 32l at their lower ends, which latter spring perches are mounted in the bearing blocks 312 and 3i3. The purpose of this roller is to take up any slack in the conveyor belt 250, and it also prevents the conveyor belt 2511 from engaging the cross angle bar 33 as it elevates the lower leaf of the conveyor belt sufficiently to cause it to miss the cross angle bar 33 during operation of the machine.

In order to raise the cutter bar from the ground when it is desired to transport the machine from place to place, means are provided for quickly effecting the raising of the entire conveyor mechanism, including the cutter bar, on its pivots, which comprise the angle brackets 64 and 65. This raising mechanism comprises a quadrant 325 welded to the outer surface of angle bar 56 and which has oscillatably mounted in its lower portion a shaft 326 having a lever 321 fixedly secured thereon and which lever 321 has an inturned lip adapted to engage the teeth in the quadrant 325. The shaft 326 is rotatably mounted in angle bars 58 and 60, and between the angle bars 58 and 60 there is fixed on the shaft 326 a downwardly extending arm 330 which has pivctally secured to the lower end thereof a link 33| whose front end is pivoted between angle brackets i332 and 333, secured on the axle housing 13. It is, therefore, seen that as the lever 321 is moved forwardly, the front end of the angle bars 55 and 56 will be raised off the ground, thus raising the cutting mechanism as well as the front end of the conveyor 250.

Each of the arms 262 to 269 inclusive has adjustably mounted thereon, by means of a setscrew 219, a cuff 214 which limits the inward sliding movement of the bearing blocks 211.

In the drawings and specification, there hasv been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific termsA are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation;` the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. An improvement in apparatus for cutting and baling vegetation having a wheeled frame provided with a cutter bar secured thereto and projecting forwardly therefrom and having a prime mover mounted on the frame and having an endless conveyor disposed rearwardly'of the cutter bar and projecting upwardly into the frame for delivering the cut vegetation onto the front portion of the frame, said improvement comprising a reel mounted in the frame and having a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted therein, one of said rollers at a time being adapted to be swung into close proximity to the rear end of the conveyor, contact with the conveyor serving to rotate the roller and the vegetation wound thereon, and additional means for driving the roller when it reaches a position adjacent the rear end of the elevating means to wind the cut vegetation therearound, said roller being removable from the bale of vegetation to thus provide a cylindrical bale of vegetation.

2. An improvement in a hay harvester having a wheeled framework provided with a prime mover thereon and having a cutter frame pivoted at its rear end to the front portion of the wheeled framework and having a cutter bar and cutter knife mounted in the front end thereof, said cutter frame having an endless conveyor belt mounted therein and extending froml immediately in the rear of the cutter bar to the front portion of the wheeled framework, said im,- provement comprising a rotatable reel member having a plurality of rollers mounted therein, one of said rollers at a time being adapted to engage the front upper portion of the conveyor belt to be driven by the conveyor belt for winding the cut vegetation therearound which is ele-.

vated by the endless conveyor, a plurality of driven. rollers and tension means for moving them into: contact with the vegetation being wound onto the rollers in the reel member, and means for latching the reel member in. position while vegetation is being wound around its lowermost roller in contact with the endless conveyor, said. reel member being movable to another position to cause a new roll to engage the conveyor belt for winding vegetation therearound while the bale of vegetation wound on the preceding roll is secured against unwinding for removal from the roller on which it is wound.

3 An improvement in apparatus for cutting and baling green vegetation having a wheeled framework and having a prime mover mounted on the wheeled framework said apparatus also having; a cutter frame pivotally mounted at its rear end to the front end of the wheeled framework, said cutter frame having a cutter knife and cutter bar mounted on the front end thereof, said apparatus also havingan endless conveyor belt mounted in the cutter frame and extending rearwardly and upwardly onto the front top portion of the wheeled framework, said improvement comprising a reel member mounted on the wheeled framework above the rear end of the endless conveyor and having a plurality of bearings slidably mounted thereon, each set of bearings having mounted therein a roll member, a set of bearings together with its roll being adapted to slide downwardly on the reel member to engage the rear end of the conveyor belt, means for latching the reel in position while its lowermost roll is rotated by contact with the conveyor belt to wind the cut vegetation therearound, and a plurality of driven rollers biased to engage the periphery of the lowermost roll and the vegetation being wound therearound, said rollers engaging the vegetation l being swingable out of contact with the vegetation wound onto the lowermost roll to permit the reel to be rotated to another position to cause another roll to contact the rear upper portion of the conveyor belt while the vegetation wound on the preceding roll is secured against unwinding and is removed from the roll.

4. An improvement in apparatus for cutting vegetation and forming the same into tubular bales having a wheeled framework, and also having a cutter assembly mounted on the framework and also having elevating means associated therewith for elevating the cut vegetation onto the framework, said improvement comprising a reel member mounted for rotation on the wheeled framework and having a plurality of idler rollers slidably mounted thereon and adapted by gravity to move downwardly when the reel is turned to cause one of the rollers to engage the elevating means to be rotated thereby and to wind the cut vegetation around the roller in contact with the elevating means, means for latching the reel against movement while the lowermost roller is in contact with the elevating means, and pressure-applying means for applying presure to the vegetation as it is being wound onto the roller, said pressure-applying means being movable away from the bale of vegetation being wound onto the roller so that the reel can be rotated to move the formed bale away from the elevating means and to move another roller into contact with the elevating means for the formation of a new bale while the previously formed bale is removed from the roller on the reel to thus provide a tubular V11.0 bale of vegetation to allow passage of air therethrough to cure the same when itis stored..

5. An improvement in apparatus1 for harvesting hay andbaling the same having a power-driven wheeled framework and also having a cutter framework pivoted to. the front end of the frame and projecting forwardly and downwardly and having a cutter bar disposed on its front end, said cutter framework having an endless conveyor for receiving the cut vegetation and elevating itv upwardly and rearwardly into thev frame, said mprovement comprising means disposed at the. rear end of the conveyor and driven. by contact with the conveyor' for winding the cut vegetation, into' a spiral formation to. form a bale. of the cutvegetation, and a plurality of spring-pressed rollers for engagingr the vegetation as it is being wound into spiral formation to form a bale.

6. An improvement in a hay harvester having a Wheeled framework provided with a cutter frame pivoted at its rear end to the front portion of the wheeled framework and having a cutter bar and cutter knife mounted in the front end thereof, said cutter frame having an endless conveyor belt mounted therein and extending from immediately in the rear of the cutter bar to the front portion of the wheeled framework, said improvement comprising a reel member having a plurality of rol-1ers mounted therein, one of said rollers aty a time being adapted to engage the front upper portion of the conveyor belt to be driven by the conveyor belt for winding the cut vegetation therearound which is elevated by the endless conveyor, a plurality of driven rollers, tension means for moving the driven rollers into Contact with the vegetation being wound onto the roller in the reel member, means for latching the reel member in position while vegetation is being wound around its lowermost roller in contact with the endless conveyor, said reel member being movable to another position to cause a new roller to engage the conveyor belt for winding vegetation therearound while the bale of vegetation wound on the preceding roller is secured against unwinding for removal from the roller on which it is wound.

7. An improvement in apparatus for cutting and baling green vegetation having a wheeled framework, and having a cutter frame pivotally mounted at its rear end to the front end of the wheeled framework, said cutter frame having a cutter knife and cutter bar mounted on the front end thereof, said cutter frame having an endless conveyor belt mounted therein and extending rearwardly and upwardly onto the front top portion of the wheeled framework, said improvement comprising a reel member mounted on the wheeled framework above the front end of the endless conveyor and having a plurality of sets of bearings slidably mounted thereon, each set of bearings having mounted therein a roll member, a set of bearings together with its roll being adapted to slide downwardly on the spokes of the reel member to engage the front end of the conveyor belt, means for latching the reel in position while its lowermost roll is rotated by the contact with the conveyor belt to lwind the cut vegetation therearound, a plurality of driven rollers biased to engage the periphery of the lowermost roll and the vegetation being wound therearound, said driven rollers engaging the vegetation being swingable out of contact with the vegetation wound onto the lowermost rollto permit the reel to be rotated to another position to cause another roll to contact the front upper portion of the conveyor belt while the vegetation Wound on the preceding roll is secured against unwinding and is removed from the reel.

8. An improvementI in apparatus for cutting and harvesting green hay having a wheeled frame provided with a cutter frame pivotally mounted at its rear end to the front end of the Wheeled frame and extending downwardly toward the ground, said cutter frame having a cutter knife and cutter bar assembly mounted in the front end thereof, said cutter frame having an endless conveyor mounted therein for conveying the cut hay upwardly onto the front end of the wheeled frame, said endless conveyor having a roller at its front end adjacent the cutter bar and having a roller adjacent its rear end, said improvement comprising a reel member mounted on the front end of the wheeled frame at a point above the front end of the conveyor and having a plurality of arms extending therefrom, and each arm having slidably mounted thereon a bearing, a plurality of rollers mounted in said bearings and said bearings being adapted to slide downwardly to cause an associated roller to engage the front end of the conveyor to be rotated thereby to Wind the cut vegetation around the roller, a plurality of pressure-applying vrollers adapted to encircle at least one-half of the periphery of the roller in contact with the conveyor belt for assisting in winding the cut hay around the roller to form a REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

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